Vending machine



Oct. 18, 1932.

W. C. HATHAWAY VENDING MACHINE Filed March 1'7, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet gwuemtoz 7? Oct. 18, 1932. w. c. HATHAWAY VENDING MACHINE Filed March 17, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED STATES WELING'ION G. HATHAWAY, O1 HOUSTON, TEXAS VENDING mom Application filed larch 17, 1930. Serial No. 488,810.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a vending machine.

One object of the invention is to rovlde a vendin machine of the character escribed, l specialTy designed for delivering bottled goods, such as soft drinks and the hke, to purchasers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vending machine of the character described which is normally closed and locked against operation so as to render the article to be vended inaccessible but which is so constructed that it will be operated by gravity, through the article to be purchased, upon the insertion of a coin representing the urchase price, into the coin slot of the machme, so as to render said article accessible.

The machine embodies a container for the articles to be vended, a balanced delivery drum having a receiving pocket, with means through which the purchaser may select a desired article and insert it into said pocket to operate said drum by gravity, with coin controlled means to normally prevent the operation of the drum, said co1n control means being releasable through the instrumentality of a coin to be inserted into the device to permit said drum to operate under the influence of the weight of the article placed in the pocket thereof and to carry said selected article into position where it is accessible to the'purchaser.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings where- 1n Figure 1 shows a side view of the complete machine shown partly in section. Figure 2 shows an end view. Figure 3 shows an enlarged vertical sectional view of the coin controlled delivery mechanism.

Figure 4 shows a front elevation of said mechanism shown partly in section, and

Figure 5 shows a rear view thereof.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, numeral 1 designates an inclosing casing as a whole within whichthere is a sultable metal pan or container 2 in which the bottles 3 to e sold are located. This pan 2 is designed u to contain crushed ice in case cold drinks are to be vended and the pan has a drain outlet 4 to relieve the overflow into a container 5 underneath, which is provided with a suitable spigot or drain cock 6 through which the w waste water may be drained from the machine. The sides of the casing 7 are preferably of glass and it has an end door 8 as well as. a top door 9 for access to the interior thereof. The machine is also provided with suitable cases 10 underneath to receive the empty bottles. In the top door 9 there is located a ball bearing 11 and through this bearing there is a rod 12 which is slidable therein and whose lower end has the yoke 13. Located in one end of the casing adjacent the pan 2 there is a suitable frame work designated generally by numeral 14 in which the coin controlled mechanism is mounted. This mechanism will now be described.

In the frame work 14 there is a drum 15 which is mounted torotafie on the axle 16. This drum has a receiving pocket 17 therein movable into and out of registration with a delivery opening 18 of one side of the frame 14. The bottom of the pocket 17 has a block of wood 19 or similar material to receive the bottles to be delivered one at a time. The drum also has the cavities 20, and perforations 21 for lightening the construction. The 5 drum 15 is normally unbalanced so that the pocket 17 when empty, is in an upright position. When it is desired to make a ur-. chase, the purchaser may select the desired bottle and by the use of the rod 12 may lift I through the opening 18.

said bottle onto the chute 22 whereupon the bottle will fall by gravity into the pocket 17 and the weight of the bottle so delivered will tend to cause the drum to turn to bring the open end of the pocket 17 into alignment with the delivery opening 18 as shown in dotted lines of Figure 5 so that said selected bottle will be accessible to the purchaser.

Rotatably mounted on the axle 16 and attached to the delivery drum 15 there is a segment 23 having a coin receiving pocket 24 therein, shaped to receive a coin as 25 edgewise'therein and above this coin there is a vertical coin chute 26 through which a coin may be inserted by the purchaser into the pocket 24. Extending inwardly from the front wall of the frame 14 there is an anchor 27 and pivotally mounted on the inner end of this anchor there is a latch 28 having the lateral extension 29 which extends over the coin pocket 24. This latch also has a depending shoulder 30 and the segment 23 has lateral stop 31,positioned to normally engage said shoulder to prevent the rotationto the drum 15. In caseno coin is inserted into the pocket 24 when a bottle is placed in the pocket 24 the drum will turn only until the stop 31 engages the shoulder 30 and the rotation of the drum will-thereby be stopped before the bottle is rendered accessible However if the coin 25 is first inserted and the-selected bottle is then delivered into the pocket 17 as the ried by the drum 15 with the vertical bar 33 at the rear of and forming part of the frame 14. I

The front wall 34 of the frame 14 has the'upper and lower openings, 35, 36, the former for access to the coin controlled mechanism and the latter for access to the coin box 37, at the bottom of the frame 14, and these openings are normally closed by means of a door 38 whose-upper end is detachably secured to the front wall 34 and whose lower end has an opening 39 to receive the hasp 40, which is secured to the lower end of the frame 14 and whose outer or free end is shaped to receive the lock 41. 1 1

When the bottle or other package has been removed from the pocket 17 the drum will resume its normal position with the. pocket 17 standingupright. A suitable weight 42 may be attached to the drum so as to cause it to assume this upright position and said weight may be regulated in size so as to cause said drum to balance about its axle in position to receive another bottle or package to be vended.

Around.the delivery opening 18, there is an annular flexible wiper 43 through which the bottle is drawn in making delivery, and which wipes the bottle dry.

The drawings and description disclose what is now considered to be a preferred form of the invention by way of illustration only, while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A vending machine including a container for articles to be vended and having a delivery opening, a rotatable drum in the container arranged adjacent said opening to prevent access into the container and having a pocket, means accessible from the outside of the container whereby an article in the container may be. placed in said pocket, said drumbeing normally unbalanced so as to maintain said pocket out of registration with said opening and being mounted to be moved by the weight of an article, placed in said pocket, to carry said pocket into registration with said opening to render the said article accessible.

2. A vending machine including a container for articles to be vended and having a delivery opening, a rotatable drum in the container arranged adjacent to said opening to prevent access into the container and havin pocket, said drum being normally unba anced with said pocket out of registration with said opening and being mounted to be moved by the weight of an article, placed in said pocket, to carry said pocket into registration with said opening to render the said article accessible, and means accessible to a customer, through which a selected article in the container may be delivered intosaid pocket.

3. A vending machine including a container for articles to be vended and having a delivery opening, a rotatable drum in the container arranged adjacent said opening to pre- Vent access into the container and having a pocket, means having a swivelling connection with the container and accemible from the outside of the container whereby an article in the container may be placed in said pocket, said drum being normally balanced so as to maintain said pocket out of registration with said opening and being mounted to be moved by the weight of an article, placed in said pocket, to carry said pocket into registration with said opening to render the said article accessible.-

4. A vending machine including a container for articles to be vended and having a delivery opening, a rotatable drum in the container arranged adjacent tosaid opening to prevent access into thecontainer and having a pocket, said drum being normally unbalanced with said pocket out of registration with said opening and being mounted to be moved by the weight of an article, placed in said pocket, to carry said pocket into registration with said opening to render the said article accessible, and means having a swivcling and slidable connection with the container and accessible to a customer, through which a selected article in the container may 'be delivered into said pocket.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WELLINGTON C. HATHAWAY. 

